


there ain't a cloud in the sky.

by hyzkoa



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Multi, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Not Thor: Ragnarok (2017) Compliant, Thanos Isn't Here To Fuck With My Happiness, i think most of the romantic ships will be lowkey stuff but yeah, infinity war fix-it, loved the thor + gotg iw interaction so i gotta make it Bigger
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-10
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-05 01:07:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14605848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyzkoa/pseuds/hyzkoa
Summary: Another day for the Guardians, another bounty to retrieve. The only difference is that, in their greed to receive more money for answering a distress signal, they come a cross a colorful ship filled of a just as colorful crew.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> so this is just kind of a fix-it fic i guess. as i said in the tags, i loved the thor and guardians interaction so i kind of wanted to expand on that but with more characters. the detials of how the revengers get to meet the guardians are vague in both this fic and in my brain, but a week of working and thinking of it just made it harder to come up with anything. so, things regarding how they got into this thing might change in future chapters if i get a better idea (or if any of ya'll shoot me some feedback in the comments. wink) but that aside, this is just a fun-times fic where i kind of just explore the relationships and friendships that could be.
> 
> so yea, congratulations for surviving watching infinity war and i hope u enjoy my coping content.

A variety of loud noises, unlikely of a semi-abandoned planet, stretched through the rocky landscape. For anyone with pent-up anger, a place such as this would be excellent to just let it all out in wrenching screams. But the team wasn’t there for a therapy session, which was clearly needed as the lack of direction – or the need to go against each other, especially between Rocket and Quill – was interfering with their job. The bounty was escaping.

“Just shut up and shoot!”

“What do you think I’m doing, jackass?!” Through the scope of his new weapon (--purchased from the basest people of the universe, and upgraded with stolen pieces that held just as _high_ moral principles--), Rocket locked the aim on the head of the bounty. And it would’ve been a great shot, had Quill not yelled the unnecessary, annoying remainder of how they needed the freaking target alive. He failed the shot, which tipped them off to a different direction where Gamora sprinted off to and pinned them onto the floor. Rocket didn’t see this, though, as he had immediately jumped back on yelling at Quill the moment his shot failed. “Look at what you’ve done! Do you think I’d kill my bounty?”

“Oh, _your_ bounty? Who was the one that got the coordinates to his location?! _You?_ That’s, like, more than half of the job.” He spoke again, dripping sarcasm and full of himself. “Why’re you blaming me, either way? That gun has been unstable since you keep addin’ weird stuff to it!”

“How ‘bout we test it then, eh?!” He aimed the cannon at Quill’s chest.

“She got him.” Mantis interrupted, her calm voice somehow cutting through their yelling. Their eyes followed the hand that pointed at Gamora, who was dragging the squirming body across the floor, heading back to the spaceship. Rocket lowered the gun, grunting.

The rest of the team stood in a circle around the target as Gamora swung it back onto the floor before the ship, brushing a stand of hair out of her face and sighing. “ _Great teamwork_.”

“Of course.” Drax nodded. Everyone but Groot, who seemed to be stifling a laugh, ignored it.

“Wipe off that smile off your face, you didn’t do anythin’.” Groot ignored Rocket, rolling his eyes, walking back to the ship with his video game.

Quill grabbed the alien by the tied arms around his back, pulling him up onto his feet and onto the ship. He protested, growled and kicked. “Don’t touch me!”

“Do any of you have tape?” Gamora asked, “he’s been threatening us ever since I got him cuffed.”

“You got tape, Rocket?”

“Of course I got tape.” He pulled a roll out of a box, menacingly stretching out a strip of tape at the bounty, whose attitude conveniently changed.

“Please, please, let me go!”

Quill laughed while looking at the other members. “Oh, dude, you screwed up _that bad_? The Ravagers are gonna eat you!”

Before _the-walking-units-that’d-make-them-dirty-rich- once- they-retrieve-the-bounty_ said anything else, Rocket had already slapped the tape across his face, covering his lips. Quill placed him on a seat on the far back of the Milano, connecting his cuffed wrists to a lock on the ship, specially designed for these kinds of missions.

Soon after they were already out of the planet’s atmosphere, but of course, to the _guest passenger’s_ inconvenience, not without a few intentional bumps and turbulence that got his head hitting side to side with the insides of Star-lord’s ship. A sarcastic apology left Quill’s lips while Rocket laughed (in that cute way no one would admit, that – for those who didn’t know what a raccoon was – became what one would sound like) and Gamora rolled her eyes. Groot complained, like a teenager would, as all the progress he had made in his game was lost in the pilot’s childish, antic behavior.

With the target of their bounty captured, they headed to Contraxia.

* * *

Their trajectory wasn’t all that peaceful though; Quill’s passion while lip syncing to his awesome mix, and Gamora just quietly singing along, got interrupted by more guests _in need_ to their spaceship. As the good Samaritans that expected nothing in return, for such were the Guardians of the Galaxy, they _allowed_ them in.

“See I told you someone would answer the signal.” The dark haired one didn’t react to his brother’s enthusiasm and overly positive view of the situation that he so easily accepted with a grinned. The doctor didn’t seem _too_ worried neither, aside from the fidgety curiosity that got him looking at all parts of the new ship they had entered, as it was filled with gadget that were beyond him, Thor and Valkyrie’s interest, but were shinier than gold for the likes of Earth scientists. Valkyrie seemed to be accepting of the situation but in a different way than Thor, not rejecting the flow of the events but also staying on guard once she got a look of the crew of people inside the spaceship. In his brother’s and the man’s stead, he looked over the crew of the ship, lips pursing already at the quirkiness that each one exuded. Not like he could judge, though, as his group wasn’t any better.

“Welcome to—”

“Skip it.”

Quill frowned. “ _Hey_. I was tryin’ to be nice.”

This got Bruce’s attention, frowning as his eyes widened as the creature kept speaking. In comparison to Valkyrie, Loki and Thor, Bruce seemed like an easily excited tourist. He might as well be one.

“ _Right_. Anyways, we’ll go right to the point, if you want a refuel, we will ask for a _small_ fee.” Before Rocket could even finish the sentence, Gamora was already closing her eyes. Could that even be called disappointed if she had seen it coming from miles away? As the God’s eyes went over each member, his gaze stopped for a moment on her; they shared a brief gaze that went unnoticed by both her team and his brother.

 “Th—Thor…” Spoke up the panicked voiced of the doctor, his eyes fixed on the raccoon, his hand all over Thor's arm. “Why—why is—”

Rocket crossed his arms. This wasn’t anything new to him. “Spit it out.”

“ _Oh my god_.” Again, Bruce’s neurons were firing almost with the same intensity as they were when he was in Sakaar. This time with a little less of _‘nervous breakdown’_ – at least, as the facts settled into his head, now acknowledging that this might not be the weirdest thing he’s seen so far in space – and more of awe, bewilderment and… sadness. He approached Rocket, his mouth agape as a hand latched onto it to poorly cover it, his eyebrows drawing together in a deep frown while his eyes still held an emotion Rocket was unfamiliar to see anyone look at him with. ‘What, what’s wrong with him? Why’s he looking at me like that?’ Rocket would say without getting any answers, his crossed arms dropping to his sides as he looked around to the _weird guy_ ’s friends for an explanation. Bruce spoke up, not with the first thing that had crossed his mind. “Ah, no. Sorry. It’s just—” He stepped away, unable to hold back a smile. “This is… amazing. You’re amazing.”

“Weird.” Quill mouthed at Drax. Looking in Drax’s direction, he noticed Gamora’s stare at one of the newcomers. He frowned, throwing his definition of a piercing stare at Loki, who just smiled at the pathetic intent of intimidation. Thor noticed this.

“Do they now you?” He wouldn’t put it past Loki to have already made enemies in other parts of space.

“I don’t think so.”

“This is my brother.” Thor said, misinterpreting Quill’s judgmental gaze.

“Your brother?” Drax asked, in his usual serious tone, brows furrowing slightly as he looked at Loki. His eyes had focused on his face, maybe looking for the resemblance between his features and Thor’s; but they quickly went down to his toes and up to Loki’s face again. He was comparing his physique to Thor’s. “How is that possible?” He asked, truly puzzled at how what he was looking at could be related to what he thought of a mix between a pirate and an angel.

“Beg your pardon?”

Valkyrie smiled a little too widely. Thor didn’t hold back his laugh.

“Hey, hey. Leave the guy alone.” Rocket jumped back into the conversation (and he shunted the human’s compliments to the back of his mind, shaking it off his being for now), as well as onto the ship’s center table, his eyes looking sternly onto each and every one of the Guardians. There were a few moments of silence, as if he was scolding them. “Clearly he skipped ‘his-whole-body’ day.” The ship roared in laughter, clearly from Rocket, Quill and Drax, joined in by Mantis who looked around confused until she placed her hand on Drax’s shoulder to join into the bullying – though, all she got from Drax was pure joy with no ill-intent. Gamora sighed, her sight lowering to the floor, too used to these scenarios to try anymore. Their idiocy was an unstoppable, unchangeable force.

Loki rolled his eyes, an exasperated sigh heaving out of his parted lips. At that exact moment, with that exact action, everyone in the ship went quiet.

Thor’s smile faded away, looking at how everyone suddenly stared off into the space around them, their eyes looking lost; worry, stress, anger gradually settling into their expressions. Everyone from the spaceship’s crew seemed bewitched but Groot and Gamora; the latter looked up at the sudden, strange silence; Rocket’s expression seemed to be melting into a worried one, and his hands – or paws – were reaching forward.

The sudden silence was weird and uncharacteristic enough to get Groot’s attention, who had just been sunk into his chair the whole time the exchange happened, quietly playing his video game. He paused it, his head peaking behind his seat to look around. He stood up a little quickly at the sight of Rocket, then trying regaining his composure and slowing down his pace as he noticed Gamora hadn’t been affected by… whatever was affecting Rocket and the rest. One of the people they had rescued exclaimed at him, almost the same way he had heard him fuss over Rocket seconds ago. He ignored it. Groot tilted his head, waving his hand in front of Rocket. Nothing happened. “I am Groot?” He tilted his head, mimicking Rocket’s frown with worry of his own; his fingers reached back for his friend.

“What’s going on?” Bruce looked between the Asgardians.

Gamora spotted a tear rolling down Quill’s cheek. She snapping her fingers before his eyes, then taking his face into her hands and repeating his name to no avail. She immediately cast a glare to the newcomers.

 “Goodbye to having fuel.” Valkyrie said, clearly directed at Loki.

“ _Loki_ , lift your magic.” Thor ordered before Gamora could say anything to his brother. And Loki did so, everyone mentally returning to their presence in the ship once the God of Mischief shrugged.

Everyone returned, and as soon as what _really_ had just happened dawned upon them, they turned hardened gazes at the scrawny-in-comparison God. Although everyone was closing in on him with a threatening pace, Groot included. Drax lost no time with glares, pinning the God onto a wall of the ship with his forearm against his neck. That knife in Drax’s hand would’ve probably flown to Loki’s throat if Thor hadn’t stepped in, the gazes he casted onto both giving out clearly that he was protecting Drax from whatever other trick Loki would pull as _self-defense_.

“I don’t know what he showed you but please forgive me for my brother’s behavior.”

Drax and Thor shared stares. Drax was stubborn, and even Thor could see how adamant he was to let his brother live. To everyone’s surprise, the pirate-angel’s voice must’ve gone through that thick head of hiss; he let go, but not without piercing holes through Loki’s face with his glare.

Loki gasped for air, an ironic grin spreading on his lips as fingers grazed his neck. “I take it you dislike magic.” And Thor repeating his name in that tired, disappointed tone that told him to stop overlapped with the little creature’s threat. “Give me a reason to not blow your brains out, scarecrow.” In the short time Rocket had been out of sight, a big gun laid on his little paws, setting the aim right on Loki’s head.

Loki held up his hands, tilting his head as he exhaled with a smile at the nickname he earned. “You don’t look like the type to care about reasons.”

“Very observant.” He cocked the gun. “You see, my partner here was doubtin’ my accuracy today, how ‘bout we prove he’s wrong with you?”

“That’s not gonna prove anything, Rocket.” Quill said. “His forehead’s too big, no one would miss that shot.”

“I won’t lose anythin’ tryin’.”

“Are you certain the recoil won’t send you through the window, fox?”

 “Loki, _enough_. They will dump you into space if you keep this nonsense up--”

“Dumping him into space?” Rocket scoffed. “That’s generous.”

“Alright, clearly I’m not the only one in this ship thinking these guys,” Quill gestures in an exaggerated manner between the four, “gotta fuck off my ship. It’s yeet or be yeeted, fellas. Maybe not you, though.” He smiled at Valkyrie, and in return both Gamora and Valkyrie raised a brow at him. He shook his head quickly at Gamora, taking his joke back.

“Agreed.” Rocket frowned then, turning his head up to Quill. “Wait, yeet or be yee- _what?_ ”

Thor sighed, fingers pressing against his forehead and temple while the other arm raised, a barrier between Loki and the rest.

“The pirate and Rocket’s fan can leave too.”

“Now you’re just being stupid.”

“Yeah, Quill. Don’t be stupid.” Drax said, too seriously. “His brother might be a soul-sucking witch,” Loki raised a brow, Valkyrie smiled a little too much at that again, this time unable to stifle a laugh, “but the blonde one means well. Just look at him. He radiates warm, positive energy.”

Quill squinted at Drax, truly confused. His frown deepening as he saw that Drax wasn’t the only one admiring the guy, but also Gamora. She raised her brows at him when she noticed. _‘Serves you right’, huh?_ Quill thought.

“We don’t have anything to pay you for refuel, but you can leave us at the nearest planet to search for a ship.”

“Wait, at the nearest—what?—” Thor shushed Bruce and smiled at the others, trying to cover up his friend’s dislike of the idea. “Just leave us at the nearest planet.” Thor repeated.

Silence.

If their behavior, at least from the loudest ones, wasn’t enough of a hint; the silence was. At least, for Valkyrie as she kind of understood their train of thoughts as Scrapper. She gave the final push. “We will pay.”

“Thought you were broke.”

“If you take us to wherever you’re going you’ll get to keep an eye us while we get the money. Easy.” Valkyrie shrugged.

Now, they were considering it.

“If that guy—” Rockets small paw pointed up at Loki, “—does so much as move a finger again, I’ll shave his head and sell the hair. You have no idea what people pay for good _grease_ to oil up their ships.” Rocket smiled to himself. _God, does he love to bully assholes._

Valkyrie smiled a little. “Fair enough.”

Loki raised a brow at her and then at his brother, who kind of just shrugged with a look that had ‘you brought this upon yourself’ written all over it. Loki sighed.

“We need a ship capable of interdimensional traveling.” Bruce added.

“Contraxia, then. That place’s a dump for Ravagers’ ships to steal.”

“We’re not planning to steal a ship.” Thor said.

“We already kind of stole one.” Valkyrie shrugged.

“We were escaping a dictatorship.”

Mantis frowned. “That sounds awful.”

“It was.” Bruce nodded at her. Although he did react to Groot and Rocket, the antennae coming out of her forehead and her big eyes weren’t nothing he hadn’t seen in Sakaar.

“Sounds like you guys had a hell of a day, _but_ I was proposin’ realistic options. Or is my intuition wrong and you’re carrying enough units for an interdimensional traveling ship?”

“…”

“That’s what I thought.” He turned his face back to the control panel in his seat. “Well, we got business there either way. Now beat it with the glares and get on your seat, Quill.” Rocket jumped off the table, heading to his pilot seat already without a care if Quill had heard his suggestion or not. And if he knew Quill, he most certainly hadn’t.

“Fine.” Quill spat, drawing out the word, his face twisting in a child-like expression as he reluctantly gave in. “But just so you know,” he emphasized the statement, “these guys are going to sit in the back. That’s where the freaks with freaky powers belong.” He pointed at both Thor and Loki – with a preference to Loki. “I’m going to be right on the front because I’m the pilot, and you should listen to what I say if you wanna make it in,” his thumb pressed against his chest, “ _my_ ship.”

“Isn’t the rabbit the Captain?”

“Of course I am!” Rocket interjected from his seat, putting on the seat belt. Quill’s ‘no you’re not!’ being completely ignored as he continued talking. “The **_witch’s_** brother” Loki frowned, pursing his lip as his brother looked at him, almost amused… _definitely_ amused, “know what they’re talking about, I’m considering giving a discount. Pirate-only, that is.”

“My ship, my rules.” Peter sat on his pilot seat.

 “Oh, don’t be a _baby_. The grease scarecrow will pay for his brother.” Rocket laughed, joined by Quill.

“That’s more like it. You guys will pay us later!” He yelled over his shoulder.

Although this was the kind of behavior she kept rejecting from Rocket and Quill, Gamora hesitated as he looked between Loki, Thor, Valkyrie and Bruce. Her doubts lying mostly on Loki, clearly, but she ultimately whispered, “It’s fine.” Quill heard it.

“It’s not!”

“ _It is!_ ” Gamora half-turned her heard, yelling back at Quill, and then dismissing Peter’s half-hearted ‘alright’ from the pilot’s seat as she looked back to the others. “Don’t worry. But you…” Her eyes shifted to Loki. “Behave.”

Loki smiled widely, slightly lowering his head as if to give in to her orders. She simply head back to her seat.

At the far back of the ship, where they – or rather, Loki, alone, as his brother had no issue in being at the front– were told to stay, he eyed what seemed to be a prisoner, begging Loki for help through his eyes and movements of his head. When Loki ignored it, said prisoner would turn to Valkyrie and then to Bruce, the latter kind of just stepped away, pretending to look at anything else as he touched whatever was at his reach in the ship, pretending to understand it. Though, the more he looked at it, the more he actually began to wrap his head around the works of it. Soon, it was all he was thinking about; what looked to be a handmade device built with parts similar yet so different to elements on earth.  The ship went back into its course and the sudden momentum threw him to the ground.

“I’m fine! I’m fine! The bomb didn’t touch the ground!”

“The what?!” Quill yelled.

“I just found this laying around here and—”

“Ah, right. I was working on that. It’s still not finished.”

“What did I tell you about not leaving bombs laying around my ship?!”

“That I should put them in a box? Because I’m pretty sure that was on a box. I’m pretty impressed, though, that you knew what that was. Quill thought it was something innocent enough to kick it.” After that, it didn’t take long for the doctor and the raccoon to engage in a science talk as Bruce inquired about the elements used and the mechanism of the bomb.

Thor and Bruce seemed like hyperactive kids in comparison to Valkyrie and Loki, who just hung out in the back of the ship. Not together, though, as Valkyrie was sitting opposite to the spaceship’s prisoner and Loki remained standing, his hand grabbing onto something on the ceiling to not fall as _gracefully_ as Banner. He was close to to _the breathing tree_ , which casted a brief glance at him from his video game, sinking in further into his seat, away from him. Loki ignored it, looking ahead.

This was going to be a long trip.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a few changes to how the first chapter ended; the guardian's target is now on the second level of the ship and so is valkyrie and mantis. the rest are still in their seats with the pilots.

 

“You guys got any booze?”

“What’s _booze_?” Mantis tilted her head, pronouncing the word carefully as if she had never said it before. She might’ve never had.

“Uh.” Valkyrie raised her brows. “You got no drinks?”

“We got juice.” Then Valkyrie realized it wasn’t just the word booze; the girl just spoke like that. “Do you want some?” Mantis raised her eyebrows, looking too eager to bring the other a cup of juice.

“I’m fine.” She chose to dismiss what probably was an obvious lie. With a crew such as the one she met upstairs moments ago, there was no way they had nothing close to alcohol on board. It sounded too painfully likely that they did, but this alien girl just remained oblivious about it. Her eyes continued to examine the ship, though her determination for that had clearly dropped now that she realized she was stuck with another bunch of misfits and wouldn’t have any alcohol to balance it out until they reached Contraxia.

Or she could ask the talking raccoon.

The sight of an unwilling passenger was no strange sight to her as a former scrapper in Sakaar. The memories of that just made her miss the electroshock disks every time this one looked at her, pleading. The bug girl must’ve mistaken Valkyrie’s looks as curiosity.

“We are going to Contraxia to retrieve a bounty from a group of Ravagers.”

“So I’ve heard. Mantis, right?”

“Yes. What’s your name?”

The Valkyrie hesitated, but Mantis’ curiosity – the unblinking, steady stare accompanied by a slight tilt of her head as she waited without a word – pushed the answer right out of her lips. “ . . . Brunnhilde.”

“Brunnhilde.” Her big eyes left Brunnhilde’s, finally, and Mantis repeated the name to herself, a wide smile spreading in her lips as she did so. The Valkyrie raised a brow, looking away shortly after as well. She pursed her lips. It had been ages since anyone called her that. “That’s a pretty name.” Mantis looked back at her, her face shining with that big smile.

They stood in silence, looking at the stars.

“It’s nice to meet another girl.” Mantis said, earnestly.

“You have your green friend there.” Now that she thought about it, the Revengers had a green one too.

“Yes, but she’s really serious.”

“And I’m fun?”

“She choked me once.”

Brunnhilde narrowed her eyes. If she were to assume this team was anything close to Thor’s improvised one, that didn’t seem like something that wouldn’t happen between them – well, no, just if it involved Loki threading on thin ice for the sake of it. Her brows drew closer in a frown, remembering too vividly the memories Loki had pulled out back to the surface of her thoughts.

“What’s wrong?” Mantis asked, leaning forward.

“Nothing.”

Silence followed, but of course, Mantis wasn’t convinced. She placed her hand on the Valkyrie’s shoulder and a wave of heavy emotions flew through her. Tears ran down her face immediately, her hand flinching off the other’s skin as if it was fire.

“I am so sorry, Brunnhilde.”

* * *

Quill rocked slightly to the tunes of Sam Cooke, the song filling every corner of the ship. Gamora and Rocket were enjoying it as well, while Groot sunk between his shoulders as he focused on his game.

“You guys got music from the 80s in space?” Bruce spoke up, being the only one aside from Quill in that ship that was familiar with the song.

“That’s just because Quill is obsessed with them.” Rocket interjected.

“This is . . . even more surreal than Sakaar.” The weird synth music the Grandmaster loved was a perfect fit for the colorful, bizarre planet; but being inside a spaceship while listening to an 80s single probably felt even weirder than seeing all kinds of aliens celebrating the Hulk in the streets of Sakaar.

“You like Sam Cooke?” Everyone could sense the excitement in Quill’s voice; he slightly turned his head around, trying to get a peek of Bruce.

“I guess. It’s been a while.”

“How’d you end up in space, either way?” All his excitement fell flat.

“Uh, long story.”

“Figured– how’s Earth, though? I haven’t been there for like, what, my whole life?”

“Earth’s fine, I think.” It was understatement to say Bruce wasn’t really pay attention; he answered out of politeness, but his eyes were clearly still scanning all the artifacts made by Rocket he found scattered in the ship he could familiarize himself with as a scientist. Tony would love this. “Right, Thor?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Hearing his name brought him back to his surroundings; he was drifting into the song. “I’ve been away as long as you.”

“No, I mean, like, the music, the movies. Is Fleetwood Mac still a thing? Looking Glass? Are they still the greatest musicians of all time?”

“Uh, I’m not… sure—hey, uhm, Rocket, did you make all of these with scraps?” Bruce asked as he got his hands into something less dangerous than a _bomb_. The makeshift bomb was now as secured as it could be in a box with a lid on it, and some other artifacts on top of it to make sure no one would touch it.

Quill rolled his eyes and Rocket could _hear_ it. He snickered. “Damn right I did.”

“That’s amazing!” Bruce was truly impressed. “You know, I have a friend back on Earth that’d love to meet you. He made a suit-armor with just one box of tools in a cave; away from all technology.”

“Doesn’t sound that impressive.”

“No, no. It is. For us, it is. He basically made a battery unit capable of powering both the electromagnet keeping him alive and a super suit to get himself out of captivity.”

Now that was something worth a second thought. “And he made that in the cave too?” Rocket took off the seat belt, leaping to where Bruce stood.

“He did. It even sustained flight and, well, he’s still alive so the electromagnet’s energy output didn’t fail.”

“Well, Earth sure doesn’t sound like it’s full of idiots like Quill.”

“Idiots can build things.” Quill scoffed. “You can.”

“ _Ha-ha_ - ** _HA_** _!_ ” That last ‘ _ha_ ’ sounded angry more than sarcastic. “Those are really big words for someone who couldn’t even figure out a Zune. What happened to your muscle memory?”

“Muscle memory is when you’re already used to do something, asshole. I hadn’t even held a Zune before.”

“Whatever.”

“You and Stark were also able to build a killer robot in _less_ than three days, right?” Good memories. “That is _quite_ impressive, too, given that I made it clear to Stark I wanted to return the scepter to Asgard.” Thor added, smiling as if the events weren’t more recent and unnerving to Bruce.

“We _failed_ in all tests to create artificial intelligence.” Bruce corrected him. “Ultron decided to be made itself…” He trailed off, the recollections of his last days on Earth flashing through his eyes. It wasn’t so much of a memory than something that felt awfully recent. He really hoped that witch wouldn’t be anywhere near him again once they were back on Earth. “It was alive way before we touched it.”

“Sounds like Earth’s havin’ it tough.” Quill added.

Rocket shrugged. “Artificial intelligence isn’t that amazin’.”

“Earth’s generations behind from the rest of the planets.” Gamora stated.

“Yeah, I can see that.” There was no hint of envy or anything similar in Bruce’s voice, just astonishment. Tony would love this place.

Rocket then walked past Bruce, his little body looking as intimidating as it could when walking towards Groot, clearly angry. “Hey, what did I tell ya about playin’ that thing in the back of the ship? Turn on the d’ast lights!” He hit a switch, lighting up the dark back of the ship. “You’re goin’ to screw up your eyesight!”

“I am Groot.” He shrugged, his eyes not leaving the game in his hands.

Loki snorted. Rocket did as much as side-eye him before going back to scolding Groot. “When you grow old and you can’t see shit, don’t go complainin’ about how _you can’t see shit_!”

“I am Groot.”

“What do you mean that’s redundant? Where did you even learn what that means?!”

“I am Groot.”

“Now don’t go saying shit just because I’m saying shit! I can say shit, you can’t!”

“I am Groot!”

“Where _the hell_ did you learn any of that?” Quill shouted, wide-eyed, to the back of the ship.

“What—what is he saying? Is he even saying something?” Bruce just looked back and forth between the talking tree and Thor, hoping the latter could give him an answer. He wasn’t wrong to hope that.

“Yes, it’s his language. He’s… saying all the swear words he knows. I’m sure some of those were made up.” Thor answered, narrowing his eyes, albeit amused, at Groot.

“Wait, you understand him?” Rocket looked up at Thor, pointing at Groot.

“Of course, it’s an elective in Asgard.”

Loki did a poor job at hiding his reaction, snorting at his brother’s response and holding back his grin. Thor smiled knowingly at him, holding back his own laughter, probably. Again, Bruce looked back and forth between them, frowning, then realizing he didn’t and wouldn’t understand whatever inside joke the Gods shared.

“Can’t you do a trick or something so he leaves that thing for a while, at least?” Rocket asked Loki. “His brain is gonna rot.”

“I doubt that’s how it works.”

“And what would _you_ know?”

“Yeah, Loki. What would you know?”

“Well, for one, worrying a game has any effect on a tree seems pointless. You can just ask the Doctor about it.”

“Parents worry about that, too, on Earth – he’ll be fine.”

The sounds of the game didn’t seem to stop, and the tree’s attention on it didn’t seem like it was going to switch to anything else any time soon. But for a split second, he stuck his tongue out at Rocket.

“Still! He does nothing but play! Maybe your witch here just doesn’t wanna admit he only has trauma-inducing tricks.”

“I can make him stop, but I’m afraid he will throw me out of the ship himself if I do so.”

“I am Groot.”

“He says—” Rocket begun.

“—that I’m wiser than anyone else in this ship.” Loki smiled.

“Right. You took that elective, too.” Rocket returned to the pilot seat. “Don’t try to clean up his language.”

“I’m assuming he learnt everything he says on this ship.”

“Are you sure you two are even related?” Rocket looked back from behind his seat, gesturing between Thor and Loki. “I mean, really, all the good genes went to the pirate angel here.”

“No, I think both are bad genes.” Quill spoke up, leaving his seat as the other went back to piloting the ship.

“Bad genes? Nothing about him is bad.” Drax added, Quill frowned.

“Really man? What is it with you? Just say you’re in love with him already.”

“I love only my wife Hovat. But I can appreciate the man-god. Your heart is so small Quill.”

“Well, that’s the only small thing about me.”

Groot snickered while Thor frowned, probably not catching onto Quill’s innuendos as he wasn’t even paying attention to the Terran’s attempts of measuring up to him. Bruce ignored it.

Quill turned up the volume of the music as Bauhaus started playing.

“Huh.”

“What?”

“What is this?”

“This earth music—it sounds familiar.”

“Really? You guys have Bauhaus in Asgard?”

“I doubt it.” Loki added.

“I’m not so sure, brother.” Thor tilted his head, a dangerous smile playing on his face.  “Don't you like it?” Thor looked past Quill, throwing the ball he had been playing with at his brother, who caught it flawlessly.

Loki raised a brow, throwing the ball back. “Why would I?”

“It feels like something you’d listen when you were a kid.” Thor smiled, knowingly.

“I think you remember something entirely different, brother.”

“Really? Because you dressed all in black and had this feeling about you—”

“I got it.”

“Loki had a goth phase?” Bruce looked too amused with that.

Loki pierced Bruce with his eyes.

“A goth phase? What’s that?” Thor asked, genuinely curious. Before Bruce could add any fire to the wood of their really different childhood tastes, Loki pressed a button on the box Quill had played with to turn the music up. The song changed, Led Zeppelin now blasting on the ship’s speakers.

 “Maybe you’re not so bad.”

“I am Groot.”

“No, I’m not mad, Groot! Do you think I care only other human I’ve met doesn’t care about Sam Cooke? _Puh-lease_.” No one answered to that. “Do you guys have Led Zeppelin in… Wherever you come from.”

“Asgard.”

“Never heard of it.”

“You have.” Gamora rolled her eyes.

“I’m _pretty_ sure I haven’t.”

“We don’t have Led Zeppelin.”

“I am Groot!!”

“ _Woah!_ ”

“What the hell was that?!” Rocket yelled.

Groot shoved the game console away.

“We got ourselves a sore loser.” Quill raised a brow, turning back to Thor.

“You shouldn’t expect a different result if you try the same thing all the time.” Loki spoke to Groot, though his sight remained locked forward. The younger one seemed to be thinking the God’s words through, before taking the console again and playing the same level that had him rage quit moments ago.

“So, is Asgard full of pirates?”

Gamora got up from her seat, a tad too loudly for a simple action as she slammed her hands against the arm rests, bouncing up and walking quickly past Thor and Quill. As everything about it said ‘that’s it’, Quill bit his tongue back for any comment. “I’m gonna go check on Mantis.” Gamora walked to the back to the ship, sharing glances with Loki before going downstairs. Loki watched her descend and when he brought his gaze back up, he was met with two blondes staring at him, _the boyfriend_ ’s frown growing deeper than Thor’s slight curiosity. Loki decided to sit down, his eyes hovering on the screen of the tree’s video game as he absentmindedly observed the game.

* * *

“What’s going on here?” If Gamora had expected to see anything going wrong between Mantis and the other, it probably looked more like Mantis running at her for help rather than seeing her quietly cry to herself.

“She touched me and—she just started crying. Is she okay?” Brunnhilde raised a brow, keeping her distance from Mantis as if she feared she'd only cry harder the closer she was to her.

Gamora stepped towards Mantis, placing a hand on her back; though, Mantis didn’t lose her chance to wrap her hand around Gamora’s, the tears drying up instantly.

“Annoyance.” She muttered, turning her head up to Gamora, who limited herself to nodding.

“Is that her thing?” Brunnhilde gestured at Mantis' hand.

“Yes.” Gamora answered, and Mantis continued off that with her abilities’ explanation. “We talked about feeling people’s emotions uninvited, Mantis.”

“I’ve had people use more annoying powers on me.” Brunnhilde sighed at the _pleasan_ t memory of the trickster. This, at least, wasn’t as bad as being forced to relive it.

“Are my powers annoying?”

“Sometimes.” Gamora answered before the Valkyrie could say anything.

“Oh.” Mantis looked down.

Brunnhilde glanced between them. “It’s fine.”

“Were you looking for something down here?”

“Booze.”

“We got some.”

And while Mantis quickly looked at Gamora, a deep frown in her expression, Brunnhilde followed the other with an amused smile on her lips. She was right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the goth kid loki referenced comes from taika waititi talking about how he almost got a flashback of thor and loki as kids, and in that loki was like going through his emo phase (hes still goin thru it honestly). god bless u taika


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